Conventionally, a contact type IC card reader has been known, which has a card collecting function of collecting a card in an inside a card reader (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). An IC card reader described in Patent Literature 1 is formed with a card conveying passage where a card inserted through a card insertion port is conveyed. The IC card reader includes: a card conveying mechanism that conveys a card along the card conveying passage; an IC contact spring that is contacted with an external connection terminal of an IC contact formed on the card; a contact holder that holds the IC contact spring; and a tension coil spring that urges the contact holder toward the card insertion port. The contact holder includes an ascending and descending hook, and a compression coil spring that urges the ascending and descending hook toward the card conveying passage. The contact holder is formed with a projection, and this projection is inserted into a guide groove formed in a card reader main body.
Further, in the card reader described in Patent Literature 1, the card reader main body is provided with a hook lifting member that moves the ascending and descending hook in a direction separated from the card conveying passage against an urging force of the compression coil spring. In the card reader, the ascending and descending hook urged by the compression coil spring is located at a position where a card conveyed along the card conveying passage is abutted with the ascending and descending hook. When the card which has been abutted with the ascending and descending hook is conveyed toward a rear side of the card reader, the contact holder moves in a direction closer to the card conveying passage while moving toward the rear side of the card reader by the action of the projection of the contact holder and the guide groove. The IC contact spring is then contacted with an external connection terminal on the card to establish data communication with the card.
Also in the card reader described in Patent Literature 1, a card is collected when the card is conveyed to the rear side of the card reader relative to the contact holder. In collecting the card, the card is further conveyed toward the rear side of the card reader in the state in which the IC contact spring is in contact with an external connection terminal on the card. When the card is further conveyed toward the rear side of the card reader, the contact holder moves toward the rear side of the card reader, so that the ascending and descending hook is contacted with the hook lifting member. When the ascending and descending hook is contacted with the hook lifting member, then, the ascending and descending hook moves in a direction separated from the card conveying passage, so that the card can be conveyed to the rear side of the card reader relative to the contact holder. In this state, the card is further conveyed toward the rear side of the card reader. The card is thus collected.
A processing device for an IC card has also been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Literature 2). A processing device described in Patent Literature 2 includes: a stacker in which a card is accommodated in a stacked manner; a card conveying passage where a card sent out from the stacker is conveyed; a card conveying mechanism that conveys a card along the card conveying passage; an IC contact spring that is contacted with an external connection terminal on a card; and a contact holder that holds the IC contact spring. The contact holder is connected to a parallel link mechanism having two arms. One of the two arms is mounted with a tension coil spring that urges the contact holder toward the stacker. Further, the contact holder is formed with an abutting part with which an end of a card sent out from the stacker is abutted.
In the processing device described in Patent Literature 2, when a card is sent out from the stacker, the abutting part of the contact holder is located at a position where the card conveyed along the card conveying passage is abutted with the abutting part. When the card sent out from the stacker is abutted with the abutting part and then is further conveyed in a direction away from the stacker, the contact holder moves in a direction closer to the card conveying passage while moving in a conveying direction of the card by the action of the parallel link mechanism. The IC contact spring is then contacted with an external connection terminal on the card to establish data communication with the card. Further, in the processing device, when the card is further conveyed in the direction away from the stacker, the contact holder moves in a direction separated from the card conveying passage while moving in the conveying direction of the card. When the contact holder moves in the direction separated from the card conveying passage, the abutting part of the contact holder also moves in the direction separated from the card conveying passage. Therefore, the card is passed by the position where the contact holder is located, and then is further conveyed in the direction away from the stacker.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-27220
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 9-147064
According to the IC card reader described in Patent Literature 1, in collecting a card, the card is further conveyed toward the rear side of the card reader with the IC contact spring contacted with a surface of the card. Therefore, the IC contact spring may cause damage to the card. When the contact holder and the parallel link mechanism each described in Patent Literature 2 are applied to the IC card reader described in Patent Literature 1, in collecting a card, the IC contact spring moves away from the card along with the movement of the card. Therefore, occurrence of damage to the card in collecting the card can be suppressed.
However, when the contact holder and the parallel link mechanism in Patent Literature 2 are applied to the IC card reader described in Patent Literature 1, in collecting a card, it is necessary to considerably move the entire contact holder in the direction separated from the card conveying passage by means of the parallel link mechanism so that the card can be passed by the position where the contact holder is located. For this reason, the IC card reader requires a large space for considerably moving the entire contact holder, which results in upsizing of the IC card reader.